An ambulance rushes toward Iowa City along the Herbert Hoover Highway following a dual semi-trailor accident on Interstate Highway 80 on Wednesday, May 30, 2012.

Usually when an ambulance is called, we imagine that a highly trained, sober, professional unit will come quickly. We have this expectation as tax-paying citizens. Little did we know that sometimes we rely on under-trained volunteers who operate with no oversight and regulations.

Until the citizens of Iowa stand up and willingly pay the taxes that are needed to have the services we want and need, we will see more and more corners being cut.

Taxes don't just subsidize waste and fraud. If we want a state with excellent teachers, trained police, fire and EMT workers, clean air and water and a staff of state employees to ensure the rules and regulations are followed, we will have to pay taxes. Services take money. Politicians who tell us otherwise do a great disservice to the state we all love.

-Diane Leonard, Waukee

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Letter to the editor: Excellent services, like EMTs, cost us

Usually when an ambulance is called, we imagine that a highly trained, sober, professional unit will come quickly. We have this expectation as tax-paying citizens.